Connections Business Support Manager in Preston, Salford

SP Electricity North West manages and invests in the power network that supplies electricity to the 2.4m homes and businesses across the North West. Our 2,400 colleagues manage the 13,000km of overhead lines, 44,000km of underground cables and thousands of electricity substations to keep power flowing and supporting green growth. We’re one of six distribution network operators in the UK and are regulated by Ofgem.

We’re proud that in December 2024 we were named Utility of the Year by Utility Week magazine who said we punched above our weight and used innovation to solve some of the industry’s most difficult challenges. Come and be part of our team and make a difference.

Now part of the Iberdrola and Scottish Power group, we’re collectively building smarter, greener electricity networks that will get Britain growing by investing in a better future, quicker.

A Fantastic Opportunity: Connections Business Support Manager

Are you an experienced people leader with a passion for customer service, operational excellence and continuous improvement? We're looking for a Business Support Manager to join our Connections Directorate and play a key role in delivering an exceptional customer experience across our Connections business.

The successful candidate must, at the start of employment have permission to work in the UK without sponsorship.

What you’ll be doing

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Wider Leadership Team and take responsibility for the teams that support our Connections Quotations function. You will lead a customer-facing, data-driven operation that sits at the heart of the customer journey, ensuring applications are registered efficiently, enquiries are managed effectively and robust compliance processes are maintained throughout.

As Business Support Manager, you will oversee both our Registration and Enquiries Team and the wider business support function that supports four Connections Quotations teams. You will ensure colleagues have the processes, systems, information and communication channels they need to provide efficient administrative, reporting and analytical support, enabling the business to deliver excellent service whilst meeting regulatory requirements.

People leadership will be central to your success. You will lead, coach and develop a team of managers and colleagues, creating an inclusive and supportive environment where individuals can thrive and perform at their best. You will champion health, safety and wellbeing, including mental wellbeing, while driving engagement, capability development, succession planning and talent growth across the function.

Working closely with senior stakeholders, you will use data and insight to drive performance, support compliance reporting, manage operational risks and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. You will also play a key role in leading change initiatives, improving processes and strengthening resilience across the wider quotations operation.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the Registration and Enquiries Team, ensuring customer applications are processed efficiently and enquiries are managed effectively.

• Provide active leadership, oversight and performance management of the registrations function, ensuring colleagues receive the appropriate direction, support and monitoring to consistently deliver regulatory and customer service commitments.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, audit standards and internal governance processes.
• Develop and deliver reporting, performance management and compliance monitoring across the Connections Quotations function.
• Use data and business insight to drive continuous improvement, identify risks and support operational decision-making.
• Champion customer service excellence, helping to improve customer satisfaction and reduce complaints.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of 4 direct reports and 18 indirect reports, supporting succession planning, capability development and career growth.
• Promote a strong culture of health, safety and wellbeing, including mental wellbeing.
• Support and lead business change initiatives that improve efficiency, resilience and service delivery.

What we’re looking for

We're looking for a collaborative and influential leader who can balance customer, operational and regulatory priorities whilst developing high-performing teams.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Experience leading customer-facing teams within a fast-paced operational environment; including KPI management.
• Proactive at managing people and details. Strong people leadership skills with the ability to coach, motivate and develop colleagues.
• Experience managing multiple priorities and delivering results in a comple, detail focused business environment.
• Proven ability to build effective relationships and influence a wide range of stakeholders.
• Experience delivering administration, process or support services within a technical, utilities, construction or infrastructure environment.
• Ability to analyse data, identify trends and use insight to drive performance improvements.
• Experience leading change and implementing process improvements.
• Strong communication skills with the confidence to engage at all levels of the organisation.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Experience working within a regulated industry, ideally electricity, gas or utilities.
• Knowledge of compliance, audit and governance processes.
• Qualification in Business Management or a related discipline.

Why join us

This is an exciting opportunity to shape a critical business function, influence strategic improvements and make a tangible impact on both customer and business performance. You'll join a supportive leadership team where you'll have the opportunity to develop people, drive change and contribute to the continued success of our Connections business.

If you're an engaging leader who enjoys improving processes, developing teams and delivering excellent customer outcomes, we'd love to hear from you.

In return, you'll benefit from:

• An annual bonus scheme
• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays
• Private Healthcare
• An employee rewards portal offering discounts on several well-known brands
• A market-leading contributory pension scheme
• Employee assistance programme
• Opportunity for professional development through our L&D function

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We’re proud to foster a workplace where everyone can thrive. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve. We believe that embracing our differences makes us stronger.

If you need any adjustments or support during the application process, please contact our Recruitment Team at careers@enwl.co.uk.

Any offer made will remain conditional until pre-employment checks are complete to a level deemed satisfactory by SP Electricity North West. Due to the nature of this role, the following pre-employment checks will be required; references from previous employers, a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and a Drug & Alcohol test.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early.

We don't accept speculative CVs from agencies. Any received we will assert ownership of the candidate and no fee will be payable.